by Scott Ehrlich, publicity director, Sacramento Harness Association

Sacramento, CA — He was not only stepping up in class, but now had to face the formidable Desperatehousewife from the assigned outside, but nothing was going to stop Final Choice from being up to the task yet again.

The first Invitational Handicap Trot in quite a while at Cal-Expo was contested on Thursday night (October 18) for a purse of $8,000, in which Final Choice three-peated.

Before starting from his assigned post five in the field of the same number, owner/trainer/driver Gilbert Herrera had aspirations that the race would set up to his liking.

“I was hoping they would go fast enough up front so I could race my horse from behind,” said Herrera. “I thought if the race shaped up that way that I had a pretty good chance.”

Coming away last into a tepid pace, Herrera could see the early writing on the wall that was going to force his hand.

“When I saw that Desperatehousewife (Tim Maier) trotted the first quarter in :30 seconds, I decided to take my chances and brush my horse to the top.”

Quickly moving up in the second quarter and clearing to the front past the 7-16th-mile pole while trotting a :28.2 second quarter, Final Choice would reach the half-mile marker in :59.2.

“I kind of used him a little bit to get to the lead and that concerned me, but at the same time I felt that Desperatehousewife probably wasn’t 100 percent ready yet — which was good for me if that was the case.”

Now calling the tune while receiving no third quarter pressure until Desperatehousewife pocket-pulled to the three-quarters, Herrera knew he now had a brief advantage.

“I knew from driving Desperatehousewife that she would hang a little when she pulled because it was in the turn — so I decided to take advantage of that and sped up my horse.”

Reaching the three-quarter station in 1:28.4, Herrera knew one thing for sure.

“I wasn’t sure how tight Desperatehousewife was, but I knew my horse felt pretty good, so I thought I had a pretty good chance.”

Now under a drive in the lane as Desperatehousewife gamely crept closer, Final Choice would hang tough and hold firm ($4.20) by three-quarters of a length in 1:57.1, his 13th win of the year, and his 34th career triumph. Desperatehousewife never gave up and was still gaining at the wire while finishing second in a fine tightener, and Four Starzzzz Hall (Rick Kuebler) finished another 2-1/2 lengths back in third.

“I drove my horse hard down the stretch, but he can take that. He raced pretty good in holding off Desperatehousewife,” Herrera finished.

On the Thursday night card, driver Rick Plano recorded four wins.

Live racing will resume at Cal-Expo on Friday (October 19) and continue through Saturday. Post time on Friday and Saturday is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. (PDT). On Friday, Cal-Expo offers Happy Hour between 6:00-8:00 p.m., where $1 beer, $2 wine and $3 orders of buffalo wings are offered.

Cal-Expo offers guaranteed $10,000 pools on all Pick-4’s!